Sylvia's Journal

One of the big differences between the US and Afghanistan is the slow pace of life. Despite the war effort frenzy and the impatience of donors to get bangs for their bucks most everything else moves at a different pace than in the US.

I have to make the mental shift from ‘an impatient wait’ to a ‘leisurely wait.’ I recall a quote (a Twain kind of quote) that speaks to this: if you are patient you can wait much faster. This is true.

Yesterday my wait at the Indian embassy speeded up after I befriended an Irish woman in the line. The wait became more manageable.

Today I spent the entire morning at the National Blood Bank for the ceremonies of World Blood Donation Day (slogans: ‘Saving Lives is Easy’ and ‘Better Blood, Better Life.’). Much of that time was spent waiting for the festivities to begin, which required the presence of important people who were a few hours delayed.

During the wait I met two impressive American-Afghans who have come back or plan to come back, to help their people. I also met Mina who is 18 and in her last year of high school. Mina is a Red Crescent volunteer who helps to spread the word that voluntary blood donations are safe, good and compassionate.

Mina wants to be a doctor; her parents want her to become a famous doctor. Since she is of marriageable age I asked her whether that was a dilemma. Not for her, she replied, ‘I hate boys! I am never going to marry,’ adding quickly that of course her parents will marry her, but hopefully not too soon.

Her mother has 7 children between 2 and 20, has a full time job and studies after hours for an engineering degree. She is away from home between 7 AM and 7 PM. Mina is proud of her mom and is bitten by the same education bug as the rest of her family: her dad is a school principal and her older sister a teacher.

Mina did not speak at the ceremony though I thought she should have. Another girl spoke, an 8 year old, telling a tearful audience how her life had been saved by donated blood. The journalist jumped on her after her televised speech for more interviews – a perfect media moment.

The girl spoke into the many microphones pushed into her face with great confidence and poise, making the whole thing a very compelling story as this girl is going somewhere!

For the first time in over a month I asked the cook to prepare me a real meal rather than a salad to use up the meat that Axel had bought before he left at the Turkish meat shop. I had thawed the meat and left the Dari cookbook open on the page of beef biryani for the cook, hinting at a way to use up the beef. He called the office to ask whether I was giving a party. I told him no, and to please cook a small meal. I don’t think he quite believed me as he cooked for 2 people (which will feed me for about 4 days) and bought two small cherry tarts for dessert.